Fansided

Magic Johnson has the right mindset about the 2018-19 Lakers

By Cody Rivera

EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers helps introduce 2018 NBA draft pick Moritz Wagner during an introductory press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers helps introduce 2018 NBA draft pick Moritz Wagner during an introductory press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Lakers will be fun to watch next season, but Magic Johnson is keeping realistic expectations.

Thanks to the arrival of LeBron James in the City of Angels, the Los Angeles Lakers have once again risen from the ashes of mediocrity and are back on the title contender scene.

Unfortunately for the Lakers and their fans, they play in the same conference as the back-to-back defending champion Golden State Warriors, as well as other powerhouse teams like the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and the up-and-coming Utah Jazz.

At the same time, the Lakers will be playing with a mix of new players including James, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson.

As with any team that brings a handful of players together, it will take some time for those players to gel with each other. Magic Johnson is aware of this, and he hopes the fans will be understanding as well.

“I think the one thing that we have to, and the fans have to, be patient about is the chemistry on the court, because we’re putting together basically all these guys will be new to each other, right?” Johnson said in a conference call, according to USA Today. “It’s probably going to take us at least a month or two, probably closer to two months, to really understand how to play with each other and how to read each other, all those things.”

It might even take longer than that. This Lakers team might need at least a season before they can truly start clicking. Rondo is only signed to a one-year deal, but if he’s not around after this season, then it might be Lonzo Ball’s chance to get back into the spotlight.

For the 2018-19 season though, Johnson has said that he’s intent on ‘going to war’ with his current roster and seeing what comes out of it. That’s the best attitude he can have about his new-look Lakers team heading into a competitive season in the wildly loaded Western Conference.

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Hopefully Lakers fans understand that as well, because even with LeBron, it’s highly unlikely that the Lakers will be raising a championship banner next summer.

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